SWIMMING

Definiti
on
•SWIMMING is the self propulsion of a
person through water or other liquid, for
survival, recreation, sport, exercise or
other reason.
•LOCOMOTION is achieved through
coordinated movement of the limbs, the
body or both.
Swimming is the perfect example
of a sports, leisure and fitness
activities rolled into one and is
open to all.
History
• Early man probably learned swimming by
observing animals that used a running
motion to move about on or in water.
• Water is an unnatural medium for humans
because it interferes with the breathing
mechanism unlike animals, they are usually
better equipped anatomically for swimming.
Human can’t easily keep the nose above
the water while horizontal.
• As early as 900 B.C., carvings have been
found, showing people swimming. Human
civilization near from bodies of water have
traces of great feats of swimming.
• 1538- Nicolaus Wynman, a German
professor of languages, wrote the first book
on swimming.
• 1696- M. Thevenont, a Frenchman, wrote
more scientific treatise.
Swimming was also one of the
most viewed events in Summer
Olympics, even in the beginning
of the first modern Olympic.
• Philippine Swimming Incorporated (PSI) is the
national governing body for swimming and
other aquatic sports in the Philippines.
• Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).
• The Asia Swimming Federation overseas
international aquatics competition in Asia,
and is affiliated to the Olympic Council of
Asia and to FINA.
• It is accredited by the 
International Swimming Federation
 (Fédération Internationale de Natation or
FINA) which is the governing body for the
sport of Swimming in the world.
Fitness and Health Value

1. Swimming is excellent for over-all fitness.

2. Improves cardio-respiratory endurance and
coordination
3. Exercise more muscle groups than any other sports
4. Get your heart and lungs working more efficient, which
boosts the circulation of oxygen around your body.
5. Provide natural buoyancy while you exercise,
minimizing strain on the body.
Special
Needs
1. It can be enjoyed by asthmatics and epileptics, and those with all
kinds of physical disabilities benefit from water’s natural support.
2. Provides relief from some of the weight and strain in late
pregnancy, and can make women more supple for the birth.
3. Aging people can do gentle swimming.
4. Young children can gain confidence, exercise and coordination.
They must be watched carefully and encourage constantly.
5. Allows you to take part confidently and safely in a wide range of
water sports and activities.
Facilities and Equipment
SWIMMING POOL DIMENSION
Swimming lesson and training are best
done in a lap pool, but any pool that is
big enough is fine. However, lap pools
come in many different sizes and shapes
and each has unique characteristics.
FINA has a series of guidelines that
describe pools acceptable for competition.
SHORT COURSE AND LONG COURSE
There are two regulation pool sizes that exist in the world of
competition swimming. They are:
• Short Course Pools- More common at public swimming
locations or high schools.
• Long Course Pools- Normally found on college campuses or
higher-end swimming facilities.
Although metric and non-metric pool lengths are used in USA
Swimming Competitions, FINA only accepts international
records swum in long course pools.
SHORT COURSE
• LENGTH: 25 meters or 25 yards
• ABBREVIATIONS: SCM means
• 25 meters long,
SCY means 25 yards long
• NUMBER OF LANES: 4 or more
LONG COURSE
• LENGTH: 50 meters or 50 yards
• ABBREVIATIONS: SCM means
• 50 meters long,
SCY means 50 yards long
• NUMBER OF LANES: 8-10
LANE LINES
Lane Lines are wire cables covered with small plastic
buoys or floats that separate each lane. In a short course
pool, the floats will change color at the 15 meter (49
foot) mark. In a long course pool, they will change color
at the 25 meter (82 foot) mark. If the floats did not
change color for that entire stretch, the distances may be
marked by single float or a different color.
Lane lines should be 2.5 meters ( 8.2 feet) wide,
although this varies quite a bit from pool to pool.
STARTING BLOCKS
Starting blocks are used in
competition. Each individual
swim or leg or relay begins with a
dive from these blocks. The only
exception is for backstroke races,
which begin in the water with
the swimmer holding on to the
grips or handles included for
backstroke starts.
BACKSTROKE FLAGS
Nearly all pools include
backstroke flags, used by
swimmers to gauge how far
they are from the wall. FINA
requires a height between 1.8
meters (5.9 feet) and 2.5
meters (8.2 feet) above the
surface of the water, and 5
meters (16.4 feet) from the
wall.
MAKATI AQUA SPORTS ARENA
(MASA)
PROPER SWIMMING ATTIRE
BOYS
GIRLS
SWIMWEAR and GEARS
• Swimsuit- lightweight, non-absorbent
fabrics, and a snug fit should be the
feature of a good swimming attire.
• Goggles- this is a great help in
swimming, not only to protect your eyes
but to appreciate the under water
features of a pool
• Head Cap- use to hold hair while in
the pool. It is recommended to use tuber
made head cup
• Kickboard- use for leg drills,
typically made of styrofore.
• Pull bouy- this swimming aid goes
between your legs, keeping you
float while doing arms only drills
• Shower kits- being immerse in
water is hard on skin. Take a long
good quality soap, moisturizer,
conditioner, and alcohol based ear
drops.
Safet
y
SWIMMING POOL SAFETY
1. Proper swimming attire is required at all times while in the pool.
2. Walk carefully in the pool area and enter the water safely.
3. All persons are required to take shower before entering the pool.
4. Do not swim if you have open wound or suffering from communicable diseases.
5. Spitting, urinating, spouting of water, blowing of nose into the pool is not
permitted.
6. Person under the influence of alcohol or exhibiting erratic behavior shall not be
permitted to swim.
SAFETY IN OPEN WATER
1. Do not swim immediately after a meal, as this may cause dangerous stomach
cramps.
2. Never swim alone. A companion or lifeguard should always be around.
3. Never dive into dark water or shallow water. It should be clear and its bottom
visible.
4. Never swim in cold open water. You’ll run out of energy quickly.
5. Do not go out of the “safe depth zone” until you are a really competent
swimmer.
6. Treat the sea with respect. Understand how easy it is to stray out into deep
waters.
 THE DO’S
1) Warmup
It’s important to start every workout with some sort
of dry land and/or pool warmup. Whether you’re
working on endurance or speed, it’s important to
get your muscles and energy systems acclimated.
Your body needs time to warmup. This prevents
injury and allows your body to reach maximum
performance during the main sets of your workout.
Do A Dynamic Warm-Up Before Every Swim
2) Focus on Technique
In swimming, your success as an athlete
hinges on how efficiently you can move
through the water. It’s a medium that’s nearly
800x more dense than air, and requires an
entirely different set of technical skills than
any other land-based sport.
For this reason, any flaw in form is magnified
exponentially in the water.
Honing your technique is the best way to
reach your potential in any activity, but this is
truer in swimming than any other sport.
Working on improving technique regularly can
drastically improve your overall swimming
efficiency, speed, and confidence in the
water.
3) Add Variety To Your Swimming
Workouts
If you swim the same workout everyday at
the same pace, you’ll plateau and stop
making progress. This can also get really
boring. Break out of your comfort zone and
mix up your swim workout routine! Challenge
your mind and body with a different workout
every day. Need help?
4) Stay on top of the water
Linsey Corbin, CLIF triathlete and five-time
Ironman champion (quoted by Lefave), says “stay
flat and float on top of the water.” Not only will this
help you cover more kilometers, it will engage
your core. Corbin suggests using a snorkel in the
beginning—instead of focusing on your breathing,
you are free to focus on using your body correctly
and employing the proper technique.
5) Breath out slowly through your
nose

Instead of holding your breath, exhale

slowly while your face is underwater.
When it’s time to inhale again, your
face will naturally lift out of the water
and you’ll take a breath.
6) Use your whole body
“Use your arms for pulling your body
through the water, your core to rotate in
the water, and your legs for the kick,
which provides forward momentum” says
Corbin.
7) Hydrate
Taking on water before, during, and
after working out will help fight fatigue
and prolong endurance. It will boost
your energy and keep you focused on
each set of your swim workout.
Remember to always have a water
bottle or sports drink pool-side.
 THE DONT’S
1) Go To The Pool Without A Plan
This lack of preparation is what keeps most of us
out of the water in the first place and those who do
make it in rarely accomplish what they’re capable
of. You’ll be much more likely to maximize your
time in the water with a workout set ahead of time
than if you were to show up to the pool without a
plan.
2) Swim Alone
Whether you’re open water swimming
or in a pool, you should always have
someone with you. If you’re pool
swimming, that could be the lifeguard.
When you’re out in the open water, find
a swim buddy.
3) DON’T: Hold your breath
In Samantha Lefave’s article, Scott Bay, coaches
committee chair for U.S. Masters Swimming and
ASCA Level 5 certified Masters swim coach,
explains that many beginners do what they were
taught when they first learned how to swim—
take a deep breath, and hold it while your face
goes in the water.
4) DON’T: Let your hips sink
According to Lefave, letting your hips sink
will create more resistance in the water,
which will slow you down.
5) DON’T: Rely on your upper body
You should be engaging your whole body
when swimming. When you rely on your
upper body muscles too much, you will
quickly exhaust them. You won’t be able to
complete a full stroke, which will slow you
down in the water.
6) DON’T: Jump right in
Swimming, like all other forms of exercise
requires stretching and prepping before
every workout. Swimming workouts engage
the whole body, and all your muscles will be
screaming for days afterward if you don’t
employ the proper care before and after
every session.
7) DON’T: Eat A Big Meal Before
Swimming
This one should be more obvious, but it needs
to be said. A proper eating program is just as
important to an elite athlete’s success as their
training program. The timing is also crucial.
While you should not eat a giant meal before
your swim, it’s important to fuel your body for
success with a pre-workout meal.
 Fundamental
skills
Getting into water: .
1. Examine the pool markings to know it s depth at all
locations before entering the water.
2. Using steps. Always use the steps to enter the pool if
you are at all uneasy in the water.
3. Pool side entry. Sit on the side at the shallow end of the
pool, facing the water. With your hands on the side,
slowly twist your body around and ease yourself in
backwards you will need some strength in you arm to
take you weight.
Adjustment to water:
• Wade waist deep into the pool and
submerge repeatedly to chin level, rising up
and down and washing the face
• Hold onto the splash gutter allow water to
the lift and body to the surface. Stay relaxed
Breathing
1. Hold on the pool side or hand rail, and lower your face gradually
into the water until it is totally submerged. Come back up almost
immediately, and the do it again.
2. Try simply bobbing you head in-and-our of the water, in a no-jerky
fashion.
3. When you feel more confident, go under for longer, holding your
breath under the water. This will prepare you for swimming with an
oxygen deficit and for breathing out under the water, and breathing
in above the water – which is ho you should breath for the main
swimming strokes.
Breath control
1. Standing in a waist-deep water with the
water inclined forward, practice breath
holding; inhale through the mouth, close
the mouth and submerge the face flat
beneath the water. Hold for 3 seconds and
recover. Repeat several times, lightening
the time of holding the breath underwater.
2. Inhale through the mouth, submerge the
face, and exhale through the nose, steadily
but as slowly as possible. Recover and
repeat several times.
1 2 3
Floati
ng
Tuck float
• Inhale through mouth, shut the mouth and grab both
legs, raise the knees to the chest. Keep the chin
touching the body and submerge. Keep holding the
breath for several courts.
• After several counts, exhale through the nose and
recover
• Variation: turtle, jellyfish float. Star float.
Prone/Deadman/Starfish Float
• The prone float is taken by lifting and extending the arm
forward beyond the head beneath the surface, with the
head held low in the water, and extend the legs.
• To recover, pull the knees to the chest, round the back, then
simultaneously press firmly downward with the extended
arms, extend the legs to the bottom of the pool and lift the
face from the water.
Back float
• With the partner standing directly behind, assume a back floating
position, with the partner supporting the back of the neck with one
hand and the small of the back with the other.
• Lift the hips and extend the arms sideward. The ears will be under
the water.
• The partner gradually removes support, first from the small of the
back and then from the neck.
• To gain recovery, move the arms downward and forward in the
water, round the back, bring the knees to the chest/shin, and lift the
head slowly forward , extend the legs t the bottom and stand.
Survival bobbing
• Fill your lungs with air and relax your
body.
• Let you arms and legs hang down
limply and you chin flop down to the
chest. The air in your lungs helps
you float on the surface of the water.
• When you need to breath, quickly
exhale through the nose, lift you face
out of the water, and inhale through
your mouth.
Glidin
g
Prone Glide
• Bend forward at the waist, with the arms extended forward.
• Lay the upper body and the arm in the water, just under the
surface.
• Take a deep breath at the side, bend the knees, and roll the
face under the surface.
• Straighten the knees and push the feet off the bottom, and
slide into a prone position and glide.
• At the end of the glide, draw the knees into the chest and
recover.
Push glide
• Stand straight beside the pool wall, water at chest
level. Arm extended, parallel to water surface. One
leg standing, other leg is bent. Foot touching the wall.
• Inhale trough the mouth, bend the body forward.
While keeping the breath hold. Bend the extended
leg to put the sole of the foot on the wall.
• Keeping both legs bent, face beneath the water
surface, push with both legs to glide
Back glide
• Sit back, submerge up the
shoulder, and push off with
the feet
• Glide until the forward
motion stops, and then
recover
Crawl stroke or free style
- this is the fastest and probably the most popular
stroke. It is so widely used in competitive freestyle aces
– where the swimmer is free to choose any stroke –
that most people now equate free with front crawl.
Timing of the breathing, in relation to the arm actions,
is all-important
Other Strokes
Back Stroke-is akin to the
crawl, except that you float
on your back in the water.
The arms are moved in a
similar alternating windwill
motion, and the legs a
kicked in a similarly
fluttering motion.
Breast Stroke-this
swimming technique
involves a pattern wherein
the body bobs upwards
and downwards as you
propel yourself forward in
the water.
Dolphin butterfly stroke-
similar to breaststoke, it
is also difficult
swimming technique
and not advocated for
beginning learners
LEG KICKS ARM MOVEMENT SWIM STROKES REMARK
Flutter kick Arm crawling Crawl stroke Fastest swim stroke
Reverse flutter kick Backward arm Back stroke Reverse version of
crawling the crawl stroke

Whip kick/frog kick Circular inward Breast stoke Very technical swim
pulling stroke, one of the
slowest swim stroke,
oldest known swim
stroke

Dolphin kick/body Small inward arm Dolphin butterfly Very technical swim
undulation sculling to reverse stroke strok, most
arm extension respectable stroke
 References
•Physical Education and Health Volume II
•Skillbook on Individual And Dual Sport
•www.fina.org pdf files
•swim-teach.com pdf files
•www.philswim.org